Wildlife on the Mournes

Spot seasonal wildlife and nature highlights

The Mournes contains wonderfully diverse and important habitats including mountain scree, wet and dry heath, montane heath and bog pools to name a few. These habitats play host to some breathtaking flora and fauna all year round.

Wildlife spotting

The Mournes are home to a variety of wildlife such as ravens, red grouse and peregrine falcons, as well as the Irish hare and on a winter's day you may be lucky enough to spot a beautiful snow bunting.

Spring sees the arrival of wheatear as well as two more scarce species - the ring ouzel, which is a very rare breeding summer visitor to Northern Ireland and the red grouse.

Spot unusual invertebrates

Wet springs and flushes are home to some unusual invertebrates, including the keeled skimmer which is a nationally rare dragonfly.

Eagle Rock is also said to be the last known breeding site in Northern Ireland for white-tailed sea eagle, common place in the Mournes until the mid-19th century.

The Montane heath vegetation - a Northern Ireland Priority Habitat, on the summit of Slieve Donard with a small area also on Slieve Commedag - has seen interesting and first recordings for Northern Ireland of the dwarf willow, feeding sawfly and two predatory ground beetles.

A wet heath provides the perfect habitat

Upland flushes, fens and swamps including extensive areas of wet heath and mire communities, pale butterwort, black bog-rush, bot asphodel and star sedge can be found along with notable and rare specimens such as starry saxifrage, and scarce beetles.

Rare butterflies

Several noteworthy butterfly species have also been recorded, including the green hairstreak, the dark green fritillary and the grayling. This area's dry heath habitat of western gorse and bell heather is recognised as being of European importance.